Global Thinking
Think beyond the wall.
LiDAR( Light Detection And Ranging) is a technology that maps three dimensionally with laser pulses, using two mirrors and the time between of the return of the pulses, LiDAR can map any target object. LiDAR is used for 3D imaging and visualizing. It is used by archaeologists, the military, mapping and by Google.
Google has equipped their Street View cars with LiDAR technology and with the plug-in from Google, you can navigate on a 3D globe on Google and other sites.
But you already knew all of that...
What I am interested in is the private use of LiDAR. Forward and backward facing video cameras on smartphones are great, but what about LiDAR? I want to see into a room and to move my cursor room to room in live time, I want to talk to you and to see you from corner to corner, top to bottom, back and front. Scary? Yes. Coming soon? Yes.
"The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn and change." -- Carl Rogers
Other than the late night chat applications, the greatest use of of LiDAR will be education. We can teach globally using LiDAR. Students will be able to interact three dimensionally and instructors will be able to give life to a lecture outside of two dimensional confines. For good or bad, we will be able to communicate outside of the "box". The walls of institutions of learning will fall down and access to higher learning will be affordable to all. Schools will compete for the online student by cutting the costs of teaching them. No need for desks, air conditioning, parking spaces, transportation, it will be one on one globally.
By creating a 3D world online, we create a place for the mind to fly while the body remains still.
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."
-- Albert Einstein
Image: 3D Head
To see a video done in 3D plotting, check out Radiohead's House of Cards here.
